My wife has been using a fake social number to work and now we are applying for a green card

[Sarah&Facundo 600]

I don't have a lot of particular information about this, but living in new york city, a LOT of my friends and coworkers have/had fake SSNs.

Some of these people hold green cards now....

[Highmystic 234]

1 hour ago, gs91 said:

Now we are scared after reading some articles saying that she committed fraud by using someone else's SSN. We already tried looking to see if someone owns her SSN# but nothing shows up. 

 

 

I would bet it's a stolen number.  Or a number from someone who passed away.  If she has been working for 4 years, paying taxes etc,  the number has to be valid for the IRS to even accept it and "know" that it is valid.    This ####### is sold all the time on the dark web. The employer could face charges as well if they did not do a validity check if she was legal to be employed.  She could face a 5 year, 10 year or lifetime ban.   If the number is theft, she could face time before deportation.  not trying to scare you, but just being a realist.  But I hope it all works out.    The old saying comes to mind that I live by.  "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime".

 

[Highmystic 234]

1 hour ago, gs91 said:

 

Any stories of knowledge on ITIN/SSN scenarios? 

 

 

Actually, your wife could attempt to create an account with Credit Karma dot com and enter that SS number. This works with all 3 credit companies.  If it's fake it wont go through, if it's stolen, well, I don't know.  Give it a try, or maybe sign up for lifelock dot com as you are required to enter your valid ss number.

 

[Ontarkie 14,525]

~~Moved to AOS  Work, Student and Tourist Visa, from Waivers. As the OP will be starting the AOS Process.~~

 

Mod hat off

 

There have been many members over the years adjust their spouses status while that spouse has used a FAKE social to work. 

[ohman 5]

I would try to reset. Can you go back to Brazil with her, and migrate back over with a new visa? Probably not, but I would not think you could pull it off using her current work history. 

[CEE53147 559]

5 hours ago, gs91 said:

@JFH No, I didn't see the papers but I believe in her. She is a good person. I'm here to ask for help, not for her being judged. Thanks.

 

You obviously have not been a victim of having your SSN used by someone else. Many children have had their identities stolen. Imagine being 18 and trying to get a job, car, phone, ... and be refused because you are accused on lying because another person - an adult no less -  has used the SSN you received shortly after birth and really screwed up your life and finances. I know; it happened to my son. His SSN was used for years while he was younger than 18.

 

She (and you) should stop using a sob story to justify her behavior. A lot of people in similar situations did not act as she did. She needs to be honest. You do not seem to understand the severity of the problems that are created by a person using a SSN that is actually or potentially another individual's. You do not seem to be sorry for the problems she has caused herself and others. If you did, you would not have stated she was a "good" person; you would have said she was "wrong".  I hope she is more contrite. People who have not had to deal with the issues created by identity theft do not understand how it affects a person's life.

 

As for the helpful advice you are seeking, she should get an attorney. IMO, one a person has committed an illegal act, they should use an attorney for all immigration filings. She has demonstrated the lack of understanding the consequences of breaking US laws; she cannot afford another mistake. Your attempts to justify her conduct makes you a poor candidate to provide her with good legal advice.

 

FWIW,  I am as frustrated and angry by you justifying what she did as much or more than her doing it in the first place.

[CEE53147 559]

5 hours ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

I don't have a lot of particular information about this, but living in new york city, a LOT of my friends and coworkers have/had fake SSNs.

Some of these people hold green cards now....

 

You really need to be more careful about your "friends".  You are known by the company you keep.

[Sarah&Facundo 600]

43 minutes ago, CEE53147 said:

 

You really need to be more careful about your "friends".  You are known by the company you keep.

That’s incredibly offensive. 

 

First of all, people do what they need to do for survival. Fortunately, I have never been in that position and for that, I am lucky. I am in no position to judge. They are very good people.

 

Second of all, if you have ever lived in NYC, you’ll realize how many people do this. Many people keep it under wraps, but it’s seriously like every third person you meet. It is also prevelant in the bar and restaurant industry, which is what I worked in through college and for a while after. 

 

My choices are not their choices. I’m more than privledged to come from a middle class family in a safe neighborhood where i have never been threatened. I’ll never truly know what it is like to be in their shoes. My husband came on the K1 legally so that’s proof that we make different choices. Do I know where to get a fake SSN? Yes, of course. Everyone in NYC does. Is my husband patiently waiting for his EAD card for month #5? Yes, he is. He could have easily began months ago. But my husband had an “in”  by marrying me. People I know do not have that option. 

 

You have absolutely no place to judge. 

Edited September 6, 2018 by Sarah&Facundo

[Neonred 3,657]

53 minutes ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

That’s incredibly offensive. 

 

First of all, people do what they need to do for survival. Fortunately, I have never been in that position and for that, I am lucky. I am in no position to judge. They are very good people.

 

Second of all, if you have ever lived in NYC, you’ll realize how many people do this. Many people keep it under wraps, but it’s seriously like every third person you meet. It is also prevelant in the bar and restaurant industry, which is what I worked in through college and for a while after. 

 

My choices are not their choices. I’m more than privledged to come from a middle class family in a safe neighborhood where i have never been threatened. I’ll never truly know what it is like to be in their shoes. My husband came on the K1 legally so that’s proof that we make different choices. Do I know where to get a fake SSN? Yes, of course. Everyone in NYC does. Is my husband patiently waiting for his EAD card for month #5? Yes, he is. He could have easily began months ago. But my husband had an “in”  by marrying me. People I know do not have that option. 

 

You have absolutely no place to judge. 

Perhaps you should offer up your SSN to these good people to help them out.

[JFH 12,191]

1 hour ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

That’s incredibly offensive. 

 

First of all, people do what they need to do for survival. Fortunately, I have never been in that position and for that, I am lucky. I am in no position to judge. They are very good people.

 

Second of all, if you have ever lived in NYC, you’ll realize how many people do this. Many people keep it under wraps, but it’s seriously like every third person you meet. It is also prevelant in the bar and restaurant industry, which is what I worked in through college and for a while after. 

 

My choices are not their choices. I’m more than privledged to come from a middle class family in a safe neighborhood where i have never been threatened. I’ll never truly know what it is like to be in their shoes. My husband came on the K1 legally so that’s proof that we make different choices. Do I know where to get a fake SSN? Yes, of course. Everyone in NYC does. Is my husband patiently waiting for his EAD card for month #5? Yes, he is. He could have easily began months ago. But my husband had an “in”  by marrying me. People I know do not have that option. 

 

You have absolutely no place to judge. 

Not one of those reasons makes it ok to use a stolen or fake SSN. Just because people don't have a legal option to come here doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye to their illegal path here. Immigration is a privilege, not a right. 

[EM_Vandaveer 2,417]

Question: did she enter the US on a visa & overstay?

[cd37 229]

2 hours ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

That’s incredibly offensive. 

 

Second of all, if you have ever lived in NYC, you’ll realize how many people do this. Many people keep it under wraps, but it’s seriously like every third person you meet. It is also prevelant in the bar and restaurant industry, which is what I worked in through college and for a while after. 

 

 Do I know where to get a fake SSN? Yes, of course. Everyone in NYC does. 

You are trying to justify illegal action because many people does that in New york ? Your comment is offensive to legal immigrants who follow laws and do the right things.

Edited September 6, 2018 by cd37

[gs91 1]

@EM_Vandaveer Yes, she did.

[Kwiecia 6]

2 hours ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

That’s incredibly offensive. 

 

First of all, people do what they need to do for survival. Fortunately, I have never been in that position and for that, I am lucky. I am in no position to judge. They are very good people.

 

Second of all, if you have ever lived in NYC, you’ll realize how many people do this. Many people keep it under wraps, but it’s seriously like every third person you meet. It is also prevelant in the bar and restaurant industry, which is what I worked in through college and for a while after. 

 

My choices are not their choices. I’m more than privledged to come from a middle class family in a safe neighborhood where i have never been threatened. I’ll never truly know what it is like to be in their shoes. My husband came on the K1 legally so that’s proof that we make different choices. Do I know where to get a fake SSN? Yes, of course. Everyone in NYC does. Is my husband patiently waiting for his EAD card for month #5? Yes, he is. He could have easily began months ago. But my husband had an “in”  by marrying me. People I know do not have that option. 

 

You have absolutely no place to judge. 

The fact that many people do it doesn't mean that it's by any means right or LEGAL.

[AshMarty 360]

Speaking as personally having had my social security number stolen three years ago (I was lucky I was made aware of it within days) but to this day it still causes so many issues with taxes, large purchases, etc because there is a security watch on all my accounts.  

 

I couldn't go to work for the first week it was stolen because of all the phone calls I had to make to correct all the paperwork that had been changed because of who stole my SS#,  calling all the government and private agencies concerning how many times it had been used and what had been changed at that level, having to go to the police station to file a police reports,  setting up security blocks on all the agency accounts, and calling any institution that had potiential to be accessed because of someone using my social security number and setting up extra security measures.

 

Luckily I caught it early enough it didn't ruin me financially (but I have talked to many others it has ruined).  Side note the FBI was involved in investigating my stolen ID because it was part of a larger ring. It was not taken lightly. 

Edited September 6, 2018 by AshMarty